Data Sovereignty Statement
Commitment
The people who hold the rights decide what's shared. That's the foundation of how Sovereign Nature Intelligence handles data.
SNI verifies the work people do to care for land and sea. That work generates evidence: photos, field notes, survey data, and sometimes knowledge held by Traditional Owners about Country. This data belongs to the communities and organisations who collect it. We hold it on their behalf, use it only as they agree, and return control to them whenever they ask.
This statement explains the principles we follow and what they mean in practice. It applies to data shared with SNI by project partners, including Traditional Owner groups and ranger programs. How we handle personal information collected through our website is covered in our Privacy Policy.
Principles we follow
We are guided by two established frameworks for Indigenous data sovereignty: the global CARE Principles and the Maiam nayri Wingara principles developed in Australia.
CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance
Developed by the Global Indigenous Data Alliance, the CARE Principles set out how data should be governed so it serves Indigenous peoples.
Principles and what it means For SNI
Collective Benefit
Data is used in ways that benefit the communities it comes from, including through recognition and credit for their work.
Authority to control
Communities decide what data is collected, how it is used, and who can see it.
Responsibility
We are accountable to communities for how their data is handled, and we are open about it.
Ethics
Community rights and wellbeing come first at every stage, from collection to reuse.
Maiam nayri Wingara principles
The Maiam nayri Wingara Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Data Sovereignty Collective affirms the right of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to exercise control over data about their peoples, Country and knowledge. We apply this through the commitments below, developed with our Indigenous governance partners.
What this means in practice
Ownership
Communities and organisations own the data they collect. Sharing it with SNI does not transfer ownership to us.
Free, prior and informed consent
We explain what data we're asking for, why, and how it will be used before anything is collected. Consent is given by the people with the authority to give it, in the way the community chooses.
Control over sharing
Partners decide what goes into a verified record, what stays private, and who can see what. Buyers and reviewers see only what partners have agreed to share.
Cultural knowledge stays with its custodians
Traditional knowledge and cultural information are Indigenous cultural and intellectual property. We don't publish, reuse or commercialise them without the express consent of the custodians, and we respect restrictions on sensitive or sacred material.
AI works for communities, not for them
Our AI tools help organise evidence and flag gaps; qualified people make every decision. We don't use partner data to train AI models, or share it with AI providers for training, without explicit consent.
Where data is stored
Partner data is stored [in Australia, with name of provider]. [If any data is processed overseas, say where and why.]
Withdrawal
Partners can withdraw consent and ask for their data to be returned or deleted. Where data already forms part of an issued credit record, we'll explain what must be kept to preserve that record's integrity, and agree how it is handled.
Shared benefit
Verified work earns recognition and credit for the communities who do it. How benefits are shared is agreed with each partner, not decided by SNI alone.
Governance and accountability
These commitments are overseen by our governing body, and working with our Indigenous governance partners. Each partnership is set out in a written agreement that records what data is shared, how it may be used, and how consent can be withdrawn.
We review this statement [annually] with our governance partners, and whenever our platform or practices change in a way that affects partner data.
Questions and concerns
If you have a question or concern about how SNI handles community data, contact us at hello@sni.earth. We'll acknowledge your message within [5 business days].
Last updated: 21/10/2026